Winding and bewinding mechanism



L. E. MACKEY AND F. W. ORMISTON,

WINDING AND REWINDING MECHANISM.

APPUCATION FILED AUG.5. 1918.

1,309,256. Patented July 8, 1919.

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IOUIS ErMAcKEY AND FRANK W. OBMISTON, OF DETROIT, MICI-IIGAN.

WIN'DING AND REWINDING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters ratent.

Patented July S, 1919.

Application filed August 5, 1 918. Serial No. 248,276.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, LOUIS E. MACKEY and FRANK W: ORMIs'roN, citizens of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the County of `Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful WVinding and RewiidingMechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to winding and rewinding mechanisms comprising aweb or other flexi'ble member adapted to be actuated from one to the other of a pair ofreels, such as are employed in street indicators and the like. I

It is the object of the invention to provide for alternatively establishing a forward and reverse" drive connection with the reels to provide means for retarding the rotation of the reelfrom which the web is being unwound, and for yieldably restraining rotation of both reels to a lesser degree when neither one isbeing driven, and to provide a, common means 'for selectively controlling the drive to the reels, the application of the braking or retarding means, and for simultaneously making and breaking an electric circuit for controlling a motor employed to actuate the reels.

In attaining this object the invention contemplates employing a gear slidable upon a motor shaft to engage either of two gears for actuating the respective reels and a slide bar by which movement of said sliding gear is controlled, which bar is adapted to bridge spaced contacts in the motor circuit, and which further-more carries brake members respectively co-acting with drums upon the shafts of the respective reels.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the accompanying drawings, wherein,

F igure 1 is an end elevation of a street indicator which is provided with the hereindescribed winding and rewinding meohanism.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the indicator.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the indicator omitting the front wall thereof, the actuating motor and its circuit being diagrammatically shown.

In these views the reference character 1 designates a casing having a sight window 2 provided in its front wall. A web 3 is adapted to travel within the casing in front of said window, passing over' a. pair of guide rollers l disposed respectively above and below said Window and having its end Dortons respectively wound upon recls 5 and 6. The shafts 7 of said reels project exteriorly of the casing l at one end thereof and respectiv ely Carry gears 8 which are relatively offset, said gears being alternatively engageable by a pinion 9 slidably mounted intermediate the same upon a shaft 10 having a journal hearing in the wall of the casing to which said gears are adjacent. To Shift the pinion 9 on the shaft 10 so as to vary its engagement with the gears 8, a pair of 'bell cranks 11 are pivoted adjacent the pinion, corresponding arms thereof being engaged in an annular groove forned in a hub 12 upon the pinion, and the other arms of said bell-cranls being extended into the casing ,through an opening in the end wall thereof. Within the casing, the bell-cranks are pivotally connected to a vertical bar 13 slidably mounted in a bearing 14: at its upper end and in the casing bottom adjacent its lower end, said bar being extended beneath the casing and terminating in a handle by which it may be actuatcd.

For actuating the shaft 10, a motor liis provided, said motor being in a circuit 16 including contacts 17, between which said circuit is broken when the bar 13 is in its intermediate position (corresponding to the neutral position of the pinion 9), while in either the raised or lowered position of the bar, a contact plate 18 earried by said bar bridges between the Contacts 17 so as to close the motor circuit.

The bar 13 carries a pair of duplicate brake members 19, each comprising a pair of resilient bowed prongs 20 and 21, said members being enga eable with brake drums 22 upon the shafts The prongs 20 and 21 are relatively ofl'set in order that the prongs 20 of both members 19 may engage their respective drums 22 when the bar 13 is in intermediate position, while movement of the bar in either direction increases the braking pressure exerted by the prong 20 upon the reel toward which the 'bar is shifted and further brings the corresponding prong 21 into braking position. At the same time the reel from which the bar is shifted is relieved of extreme braking pressure owing to disengagement of the corresponding prong 20 from its drum. Since shifting of the bar to either limiting position effects establishment of a' drive connection to the reel from which the bar moves away, it will' be evident from the foregoing that When the drive is cut ofi from both reels, a'moderate braking pressure is applied to both reels tending to immediately halt travel of the Web, While a somewhat greater braking pressure is applied to either reel ,When thevconpanion reel is functioning to drivethe Web, the effect being to maintain the Web constantly taut, and to prevent nomentum of the reels effecting any appreciable travelof the Web after the drive has been cut off.

It Will further be evident from the preceding description that the bar 13 exercises a triple function, since it selectively controls establishment of a drive connection to the reels through the pinion 9 and gears 8, makes and breaks the motor circuitaccording as the gears are in driving or neutral position, and checks rotation of the reel from which the Web is to be unwound or of both reels When the bar is in its intermediate position corresponding to the neutral position of the driving gears.

XNhile the disclosed winding and rewinding mechanism is particularly designed for application to a street indicator for railway vehicles, t is evident that it may be applied to a large number of other useful purposes.

What We claim is:

1. A Winding and reWinding mechanism comprising a pair of reels, a Web extending between the reels and having its end portions respectively Wound thereon, an electric motor and' circuittherefor, mechanism for alternatively driving the reels from the motor, said mechanism having a neutral position, mechanism for alternatively checking rotation of the reels, and a common means for shifting the drive of the motor from one to the-other of said reels, for shifting the application of the checking mechanism: from one reel' to the other and for closingthe motor circuit When the drive to either reel is established and breaking said circuit Whenthe driving mechanism is in neutral position.

2. A Winding and rewinding mechanism comprising a pair of reels, a Web eXtending between the reels and' having its end portions respectvely Wound thereon, an electric motor and circuit th'erefor, mechanism for alternatively driving the reels from the motor, and a common means for shifting the drive of said motor from one of said reels to the other and for closing the Inotor circuit When the drive to either reel is established and for breaking said circuit when the driving mechanism is in neutral position] In testimony Whereof We sign this specitication.

LOUIS E. MACKEY. FRANK W. ORMISTON.

copies of this patent may be' obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

` Washington, I). C." 

